The present invention relates to a paper handling device for use in an image forming apparatus.
A copier, facsimile machine, printer or similar image forming apparatus is often constructed to discharge a paper sheet undergone an image forming sequence by positioning the widthwise center of the paper sheet at a center reference with no regard to the paper size. When paper sheets sequentially driven out of the apparatus in such a position are to be bound by a stapler, for example, the position of their margins differs from one paper size to another. It has been customary to cope with this situation by shifting a stapler in the widthwise direction of paper sheets in matching relation to the paper size. In addition, when paper sheets are discharged from the apparatus, a stapler is usually retracted from a stapling position in a direction perpendicular to the widthwise direction. A stapler, therefore, has to be moved two-dimensionally in a complicated manner and needs a disproportionately complicated arrangement for switching over the position thereof. Further, when the layout of the apparatus is such that paper sheets are taken out in a direction perpendicular to the paper discharging direction, it is not easy to remove paper sheets having comparatively small sizes.